If you don’t care about DIY projects, you might not care about this post. And that’s because I’ve been in full arts and crafts mode over here, all of which has been house-related.
Since buying our house in May, I’ve been thriving off of projects to make our house feel more like a home. A big part of that has been finding DIY projects to liven up our spaces on a budget. I haven’t done too much yet (beyond the initial painting and such), but what I have done has been pretty exciting to me. And I have many more plans in the works.
So keep scrolling if you want to see what’s been keeping me busy lately!
July Favorites
DIY Birthday – For the first time ever, I decided to take a day off work for my birthday. I had grand plans to be crafty all day, but it turned into me spending half my day in Michael’s and Lowe’s, which was still good because now I have the supplies to do a lot of projects! Matt delivered some sangria as I started working on some things and made me the most delicious dinner on the grill. We also spent some time outside, which I haven’t done enough of lately, and it was good for the soul.
Colors of Summer – Daisies are my favorite flower, and black-eyed Susans are up there, as well. I frequently find myself staring up into the clouds these days, because despite the numerous 90+-degree days, summer has brought many beautiful days. And with flowers like this in the picture? It’s hard not to obsess over the colorful sights.
DIY Abstract Art with Drywall Mud – I’m so proud of how this turned out. I saw this idea on IG and thought it was such a cool way to create simple art for my office. I bought a couple sets of 12×16″ canvas and some drywall mud, created some abstract designs with a putty knife (different styles on each), and painted it with a clay-colored paint sample I already had (to make sure no white from the canvas was poking through). I planned to paint this with actual colors, but I figured I’d ruin them by trying to do more, so I left them very simple. I love them against the grayish-blue of the walls, though.
Spray Paint – I’ve had limited experience with spray paint until recently, and now I’m hooked on refinishing things with it. This has been one of my favorite uses of spray paint. I decided our ugly vent covers—that were chipped, rusted, bent, and brown—could be cheaply redone with a little spray paint. It turned out better than I had expected, and while they’re still bent (hence the random spots reflecting light), they don’t look nearly as bad. It was a great way to save money and get “new” vents! I’ve also spray painted a frame and some outlet covers (to white), and I’m sure there will be many more projects in the future.
Shuggie by Foxygen – Love the vibe of this song. It felt so familiar, which I think is why I originally started listening to it on repeat. I eventually discovered it’s familiar because it sounds like Lily Allen’s “Littlest Things.” It’s weird how something being familiar automatically makes you like it more.
Houseplants Having Babies – A very unexpected surprise as we’ve settled into our new house? Our houseplants are boomin! It’s been a long journey to healthy houseplants, and living in so many dark apartments before this bright house has been one of the biggest obstacles to happy plants. Now I’m seeing multiple plants having “babies”! My spider plant is on its way to having spiderettes, and this snake plant surprised me with two new pups. Not killing plants makes me happy.
DIY Ladies on IG – I’ve been anxious for several years to buy a house so I could decorate/paint/fill it however I wanted. So now that I have the space and no restrictions, it’s been VERY exciting for me. I’ve shared my love of Instagram accounts for farmhouse decor in the past, but lately I’ve been all about the DIY home decor accounts. (This is actually what inspired my drywall mud wall art.) Some of the accounts I’ve been loving are withtheprinces, mydiyhappyhome, hipandhumblestyle, ourwisconsinnest, and revealmydiy. If anything, they’ve helped inspire me to be more ambitious with what I don’t know how to do, because it’s been rewarding to learn new things on my own.
Learning New Tools – Over the past month or two, I’ve come such a long way with my knowledge and experience with power tools, and that’s thanks to my DIY projects but, more importantly, my helpful husband. I’ve never shied away from learning these things—the opportunities just never presented themselves. As I start seeking them out, as well as asking Matt to do things and him encouraging me to try them first, I’ve loved feeling more comfortable with things like… using a power drill, power saw, and even lawn equipment like a weed whacker and bush trimmer (I know it’s weird to be excited about these things). I guess you could say I’m just enjoying learning how to be a capable adult (even if I look like a deer in headlights). I’m a strong, independent woman who don’t need no man! …except to teach me how to do these things at first so I don’t hurt myself or our house.
Mini Desk Fans – We have various sizes of fans, but when I’m sitting at my desk and working, I just need something simple to have some air movement. I love these little USB fans for this purpose because they create a little breeze without taking up too much room. I’m not in love with this version, in particular, so I won’t link it, but you can find these at random stores as well as online (I got this on Amazon).
What’s been keeping you busy/entertained lately?
